TNA ADM 199 790

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NARRATIVE OF DUTCH BOAT "JAVA"
26th May - 4th June, 1940.
0645, 27th May, the crew of D.B.22 under the command of
Lieut-Commander Drake, RND left Chatham Barracks and travelled via
Portsmouth to Southampton, joining "Java" that evening. The
vessel was then under repair, with orders on completion to load
ammunition in the River.
On the afternoon of 29th May those orders were cancelled
and we were instructed to fuel and proceed light to Dover.
Accordingly about 1700 with Main and Auxilliary machinery
persuaded to function by Diesel experts from the shore "Java" left
dock and proceeded down the Solent to Hamble.
At 0400 on 30th May our troubles started. Our final air
pressure started the Main Engine and we left with the handicap of
being able neither to stop or go astern as the belt driving our
Auxilliarys parted immediately. Eventually our Auxilliary
Diesel was started and ran all day for light and air with the
result that shortly before arrival at Dover our E.R.A. collapsed
owing to fumes. As our Windlass gear was already out of action
the ship was allowed alongside and on the morning of 31st May
"Sandhurst" was notified of our defects. By this time our
Auxilliary engine also had ceased running.
The Main belt was renewed, but as regards the other and
major defects, notably our Ballast Pump, it was pointed out that
as they would take several hours to complete and we were under
1 hours' notice for sea, it was not worth starting on them.
On Saturday morning, 1st June Lieut-Commander Drake was
taken ill and detained sick in "Sandhurst".
I received orders that afternoon to proceed to Dunkirk to
arrive at 0200 on 2nd June and left at 1945, steaming 10 knots
with neither Auxilliary nor Anchor gear working. My confidence
in our new belt was apparently misplaced as being too slack it
failed to drive the Compressor. This lack of air and consequent
inability, if stopped, to restart, either ahead or astern, might
have led to complications if, at midnight, 16 miles off Dunkirk,
No.3 Cylinder had not commenced to seize, shedding bolts from
the Crankcase which my Engineroom staff eventually held in place
with wedges. But our speed was down to 5 knots making an 0200
arrival impossible and I had no choice but to put about, but a
for
minuteslater however presumably with the Engine cooling, some
higher revolutions were obtained, and I rmoceeded another 5 miles
towards the shore. Again however the Engine failed and it was
only at slow speed and with great care that it could be kept
moving at all. Considering further progress unwise I cruised
in the neighbourhood until daylight and then made the best of my
way home, berthing in Dover about 1015, 2nd June. Here repairs
were considered impossible and on Tuesday, 4th June I was towed
by "Gorecht" to Sheerness and on the following day by "Bornrif"
to Tilbury, thence the following morning to Surrey Commercial Docks
ADNIRAL
Raviei
DOVER 14JUN 1940
ft. R.N.V.R.
R